[CGMthrowaway]

When and where I was growing up, phonics was really only used remedially with kids who couldn't figure out how to read any other way.

[prodigycorp]

I don’t remember how I learned to read but having a toddler who I’m now teaching to read, phonics have been a nice hook for him to wrap his mind around what’s on the page. I’m sure he’d be cromulent at reading without it, but we read together a ton and I don’t see him reading as accelerated without it.